Jeff Philipp of SSi Energy, a division of the Northwest Territories telecommunications company SSi Micro, presented his combined heat-and-power system to a committee of MLAs at the Legislative Assembly on Friday.

At a basic level, the "SSi Energy Solution" system would capture heat waste created through the production of power and repurpose it to warm homes, water and buildings.

The captured heat would be stored in thermal batteries at a central location and redistributed through a network of underground, insulated pipes.

Capturing wasted energy

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar could also be tied into the system.

Right now, said Philipp, about two-thirds of the fuel used in power generation is expelled as noise, friction and heat. He said capturing that energy could cut a community's fuel consumption in half.

"This is not like I've solved some gigantic problem that nobody else has solved," Philipp told the territory's standing committee on economic development and environment.

"Graphene will be the next major revolution much like the industrial or the telecommunications revolution. Graphene is no less important than that," said Philipp.

The benefits of graphene are many, he said. Graphene batteries function at temperatures as low as -30 C, they charge quickly, have a longer lifespan, and don't use chemicals, which makes them easier to dispose.

MLAs on Friday were pleased by the presentation. Frame Lake MLA Kevin O'Reilly called it "music to my ears."

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